S03.E06: Off Brand

[Bannon]

18 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I think people are being very unfair to Rebecca.  She wasn't "MIA".  She and Chuck were divorced and she had no idea about his mental illness until earlier that day.  The fact that she would fly in to be there for him and then go to his house and knock on the door for an hour is admirable.  My ex-wife wouldn't cross the street to spit on me. :)

Sure, she doesn't get how much Chuck has hurt Jimmy, she is right that you don't abandon a mentally ill relative because he hurt your feelings.  

It seemed to me that she only wanted Jimmy to help her get Chuck to let her in.

Attempting to ruin someone professionally and/or have them imprisoned, which Chuck is obviously trying to do, is much, much, more than trying to hurt their feelings.

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bannon

[Bryce Lynch]

7 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Sweet that Jimmy is taking such good care of the goldfish! And then he personally called every one of his elderly clients. He didn't have to, but that's Jimmy!

Even got her a bubbler and call her "girl".  I was sure "Wanda" was flushed already.

[JudyObscure]

I don't blame Rebecca for not being Chuck's care-giver, but she just finished spending the day hearing about Jimmy's devoted care over the past year, and how it was repaid by Chuck setting him up to be disbarred.  Whether he is angry or not, Jimmy would be a fool to walk back into what could be another trap.  Rebecca's holier than thou attitude to Jimmy  was obnoxious in that scene.  Cell-phone abusing snob.

[Bryce Lynch]

1 minute ago, Bannon said:

Attempting to ruin someone professionally and/or have them imprisoned is much, much, more than trying to hurt their feelings.

a) He specifically did NOT attempt to have Jimmy imprisoned, though he could easily have done so.

b) He did not attempt to ruin Jimmy professionally until AFTER Jimmy attempted (and largely succeeded) to ruin him professionally, by committing multiple felonies against him and his client.

[Bryce Lynch]

14 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I don't blame Rebecca for not being Chuck's care-giver, but she just finished spending the day hearing about Jimmy's devoted care over the past year, and how it was repaid by Chuck setting him up to be disbarred.  Whether he is angry or not, Jimmy would be a fool to walk back into what could be another trap.  Rebecca's holier than thou attitude to Jimmy  was obnoxious in that scene.  Cell-phone abusing snob.

While I agree that Jimmy would be taking a big risk by going to Chuck's house, I thought Rebecca's behavior was admirable.

If Jimmy had explained to her that he would like to help, but was afraid of another trap or misunderstanding that would get him disbarred and incarcerated, that would be one thing.  

But, it was clear that Jimmy no longer gave a crap about Chuck, and that was probably shocking to her, as she had seen him as a man with a good heart.

Without that good heart that makes Jimmy care about people, when maybe he shouldn't  (like Chuck and the Kettlemans) he may be nothing more than a shady, criminal lawyer.  I thought it was sad that Jimmy didn't even want to help, as it show he is not our Jimmy anymore.  

Jimmy seems to have lost himself in his resentment towards Chuck, just as Chuck lost himself through his resentment towards Jimmy.

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bryce Lynch

[rehoboth]

Rebecca asking Jimmy to go and check on Chuck was a bit rich.  More than anyone, she could see what part of Chuck's monologue on the stand was mental illness and what part was real.  She confirmed Chuck's opinion of his brother by telling Jimmy that "Chuck was right about you all these years."  So she's telling Jimmy that now that your brother's low opinion of you is out there for the whole world to see, how about coming over to take care of him again?  I think Chuck and Rebecca are two peas in a pod.

 

Lawyer question:  Could Jimmy still work in the law but not in the capacity of a lawyer.  For example, could he be doing paralegal work for Kim for the next year?

[ElsieH]

So did anyone else notice the scotch said 1966 on the box, and Howard said it was 35 years old. That would make it 2001. When did the BB timeline start again?

[ShadowFacts]

28 minutes ago, Bannon said:

Attempting to ruin someone professionally and/or have them imprisoned, which Chuck is obviously trying to do, is much, much, more than trying to hurt their feelings.

He succeeded in getting Jimmy a one-year suspension.  Time to cut ties.  What could Jimmy have done anyway without getting himself in trouble?  He just gets the bar's decision on suspension and goes over to his brother's house who he has the feud with and starts banging on the door.  Not going to end well.  Chuck won't let Rebecca in, he's not going to let Jimmy in.  As for Jimmy being unwilling to even try to help, is he supposed to think OK, now we're even, let's start over?  You don't have to be hardhearted to know when to cut your losses. 

[JFParnell]

Loved this episode, though I was nervous the promos would end up a mere tease to like the last 2 minutes. More good worlds converging stuff (found myself wondering how much time the writers may or may not have spent reminding themselves that there MAY actually be BCS viewers who aren't up on all of the BB minutiae... or do they just assume it's obvious where their bread is best buttered...)

Crazy 8 wasn't the police snitch, right? Or was he? Or was it the other dude who died in the RV? I remember C8 him meeting his demise in Jesse's basement, but can't recall if he was the snitch Hank mentions later.

I wonder if it's too late in the season now to see poor Gale Boetticher, now that the superlab site has been chosen. Maybe next season.

Lydia! She needs her Jackie O shades. I'm slightly uncomfortable being happy to see all of these characters who made a product that destroyed peoples' lives. lol. (Not to mention destroying theirs, ultimately..)

Hector's lost pill reminded me of Walt's ricin plot v. Tuco.

Was that church Mike and his DIL attended the same as where Jesse and Skinny Pete and Badger attended rehab? 

Anywho .. glad things are picking up. Will speak only for myself and say that MAN, this show really tested my patience at multiple points leading to now, primarily because I found Chuck to be such a drag :)

[JudyObscure]

23 minutes ago, JFParnell said:

I wonder if it's too late in the season now to see poor Gale Boetticher,

Gale and Jesse were my two favorite characters,  their final scene together really upset me, and as much as I would love to see Gale making coffee and singing obscure show tunes  again, I doubt if the two time lines are close enough to bring him in.  Maybe!

[MisterBluxom]

57 minutes ago, rehoboth said:

Rebecca asking Jimmy to go and check on Chuck was a bit rich.  More than anyone, she could see what part of Chuck's monologue on the stand was mental illness and what part was real.  She confirmed Chuck's opinion of his brother by telling Jimmy that "Chuck was right about you all these years."  So she's telling Jimmy that now that your brother's low opinion of you is out there for the whole world to see, how about coming over to take care of him again?  I think Chuck and Rebecca are two peas in a pod.

 

Lawyer question:  Could Jimmy still work in the law but not in the capacity of a lawyer.  For example, could he be doing paralegal work for Kim for the next year?

Just a guess. But if he was working for Kim under the label "consultant", he could do most anything except appear in court or sign legal documents.

I think he would invite more trouble than it's worth if he worked for anyone under the label "paralegal".

But IMHO, Jimmy is very clever and savvy that he could work in any number of ways and earn money (legally) without needing to work as a lawyer.

Just consider how clever he had to be to sell commercials to small & medium businesses. Many of them are run by people with huge egos and they would love to see themselves on TV. Wasn't that clever of Jimmy?

33 minutes ago, JFParnell said:

Loved this episode, though I was nervous the promos would end up a mere tease to like the last 2 minutes. More good worlds converging stuff (found myself wondering how much time the writers may or may not have spent reminding themselves that there MAY actually be BCS viewers who aren't up on all of the BB minutiae... or do they just assume it's obvious where their bread is best buttered...)

Crazy 8 wasn't the police snitch, right? Or was he? Or was it the other dude who died in the RV? I remember C8 him meeting his demise in Jesse's basement, but can't recall if he was the snitch Hank mentions later.

I wonder if it's too late in the season now to see poor Gale Boetticher, now that the superlab site has been chosen. Maybe next season.

Lydia! She needs her Jackie O shades. I'm slightly uncomfortable being happy to see all of these characters who made a product that destroyed peoples' lives. lol. (Not to mention destroying theirs, ultimately..)

Hector's lost pill reminded me of Walt's ricin plot v. Tuco.

Was that church Mike and his DIL attended the same as where Jesse and Skinny Pete and Badger attended rehab? 

Anywho .. glad things are picking up. Will speak only for myself and say that MAN, this show really tested my patience at multiple points leading to now, primarily because I found Chuck to be such a drag :)

I was hoping this episode could have spent a lot more time "rubbing Chuck's nose" in his failure. Although after all was said and done, that would not be appropriate given that he truly is mentally ill. But I think it is appropriate for Jimmy to cut off all contact with the *BLEEP*.

I want to predict that Chuck will soon try some truly crazy thing - like maybe suing the Legal Board for failing to ban Jimmy - even though it is the law they cannot be sued.  I'm just guessing. But I figure Chuck has not yet demonstrated the true degree of his insanity and he will likely think he knows better than everyone else and will be bound and determined to prove that.

Edited May 16, 2017 by MissBluxom

[ghoulina]

Lydia and the laundromat! Here we go! 

Gus is over dealing with Don Eladio, and Hector, and the border. He's ready to start cooking his own shit. Get it, Gustavo! 

Nacho appears quite "over it" as well. Some really stellar, subtle acting from Michael Mando this episode. He handled the showdown with Fring's men so confidently, but his face when he left? He was scared as shit. And just the constant looks of frustration and regret. Tuco may have been wild and unpredictable, but Hector is so far up his fucking ass! And now he wants to involve Nacho's sweet and simple father in all this? Nacho's brewing other plans. I thought it was going to be Gus who caused Tio to be relegated to a wheelchair, but maybe not....

Excellent performance from McKean tonight as well. All the arrogance was gone out of Chuck. When he sat there in the dark with Howard, he just looked like a sad, little boy to me. Interesting that Howard is pushing him to move forward, instead of pressing for some sort of hospitalization. I always figured Howard would leap at the chance to have Chuck out of the firm, without having to buy him out. Howard continues to be an enigma to me. But it seems as if he hopes that the stunt at the bar hearing will prove to Chuck that he is actually fine, and Chuck will be able to leap 100% back into work. I don't think he realizes the depths of this mental illness. But apparently Chuck is going to try and get some help? 

And the Jimmy stuff was great as well. My favorite thing about watching Jimmy/Saul is seeing how he weasels his way out of tough spots. Can't let your commercials air? Can't SELL said timeslots? Adopt a new persona, advertise for FREE airtime! The dude is simply his own brand of genius. 

And we finally get the first glimpse of Saul. Funny that Saul didn't start as a lawyer. Kim clearly HATES Saul. I agree with the poster on the other thread who said Kim has been the frog in the boiling pot of water, not realizing how deep she's gotten herself in. Up until now. I think she's seeing a side of Jimmy she just really doesn't care for. I'm curious, but always terrified, to see the demise of their relationship. 

[Bryce Lynch]

52 minutes ago, ElsieH said:

So did anyone else notice the scotch said 1966 on the box, and Howard said it was 35 years old. That would make it 2001. When did the BB timeline start again?

The 35 years refers to how long the scotch was aged in the barrel.  It does not include the time it was sitting in the bottle waiting for someone to buy it and drink it.  

The BCS timeline starts in May 2002 (back when Jimmy was trying to get the Kettlemans as clients and Howard to buy out Chuck).  Season 1 ends in July 2002. 

I am not sure if it is clear how much time has passed since then.  I am guessing we are somewhere in 2003, right now.  

It would seem that Gus spent about 4 years building his super lab.  I suppose, between the construction, including secret entrance, acquiring all the lab equipment, and putting his precursor suppliers and staff in place, it could take a long time.  

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bryce Lynch

[Bannon]

7 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

a) He specifically did NOT attempt to have Jimmy imprisoned, though he could easily have done so.

b) He did not attempt to ruin Jimmy professionally until AFTER Jimmy attempted (and largely succeeded) to ruin him professionally, by committing multiple felonies against him and his client.

Once you contact authorities to press charges against someone, whether that person goes to prison or not is not completely in your control. Prison is a real possibility. Hell, just geting placed in an Albuquerque jail overnight is a real risk. The criminal justice system is never to be taken lightly.

Having said that, Jimmy's no innocent. he willfully committed a felony and violated legal ethics, by breaking and entering, then altering documents, and then breaking and entering once again. Of course, that behavior was in response  to Chuck's violation of legal ethics, in the manner in which he convinced Mesa Verde to leave Kim, and go back to HHM. No, you don't get to pitch clients that they should use your law firm, due to your expertise in regulatory compliance,  while concealing from the client that you will be keeping their vital documents in a structure that is illegal for human beings to occupy, and is at pronounced risk of destruction, especially given that you are known to become suddenly incapacitated, without warning, with some frequency. That's unethical, and goes to Chuck's towering hypocrisy.

The larger point is that Rebecca has witnessed Chucks attempt to permenantly professionally ruin Jimmy, after she knows Jimmy has spent years as Chuck's caretaker. She's a little out of line in reading Jimmy the riot act for refusing to engage in caretaking again. 

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bannon
clarity

[Bryce Lynch]

38 minutes ago, JFParnell said:

Loved this episode, though I was nervous the promos would end up a mere tease to like the last 2 minutes. More good worlds converging stuff (found myself wondering how much time the writers may or may not have spent reminding themselves that there MAY actually be BCS viewers who aren't up on all of the BB minutiae... or do they just assume it's obvious where their bread is best buttered...)

Crazy 8 wasn't the police snitch, right? Or was he? Or was it the other dude who died in the RV? I remember C8 him meeting his demise in Jesse's basement, but can't recall if he was the snitch Hank mentions later.

I wonder if it's too late in the season now to see poor Gale Boetticher, now that the superlab site has been chosen. Maybe next season.

Lydia! She needs her Jackie O shades. I'm slightly uncomfortable being happy to see all of these characters who made a product that destroyed peoples' lives. lol. (Not to mention destroying theirs, ultimately..)

Hector's lost pill reminded me of Walt's ricin plot v. Tuco.

Was that church Mike and his DIL attended the same as where Jesse and Skinny Pete and Badger attended rehab? 

Anywho .. glad things are picking up. Will speak only for myself and say that MAN, this show really tested my patience at multiple points leading to now, primarily because I found Chuck to be such a drag :)

Krazy 8 was indeed Hank's snitch ("Cancer Man") 

Hank: "Say hello to Domingo Gallardo Molina, AKA "Krazy 8. " Smarter than your average cheese-eater. I turned him out at the street-level, but this dude's like the Jeffersons: movin' on up. Every small-time dealers he'd throw at us, he'd end up snaking their customers. It turns out he's missing, presumed dead. Found his car out in the boonies. Last guy he ratted out was none other than his cousin, Emilio Koyama."

[ghoulina]

9 hours ago, Dianaofthehunt said:

Mike’s daughter-in-law’s storyline is uninteresting, and I wish precious story-telling minutes hadn’t been wasted on it.

I just really cannot stand Stacy. I always think she's up to something. She was laying it on awful thick with "pop" this and "pop"that. Now she's got Mike roped into more thing - building a playground. I think these scenes are there to show just why Mike gets as deep as he gets. He has an immense sense of guilt over his son, and just wants to give his daughter-in-law and granddaughter all that he can. 

 

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Sweet that Jimmy is taking such good care of the goldfish!

I know! I feel bad that made the comment last week about him not being willing to commit to a pet, like Mike did. 

I also like that he wants to keep Francesca around. He could have easily just dialed the phone himself. But he JUST hired her; he's trying to give her something to do. 

7 hours ago, Bama said:

 

Sooooooo. Krazy-8 tells Nacho he was short on his earnings for the week because he has a "new kid who saw a cruiser and ran and threw his stash down a sewer" - anyone else holler at their TV, "Jesse!?!?"?

 

I could be wrong, but I thought Jess was JUST a cook prior to Walt coming along.  

[ShadowFacts]

13 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

Nacho appears quite "over it" as well. Some really stellar, subtle acting from Michael Mando this episode. He handled the showdown with Fring's men so confidently, but his face when he left? He was scared as shit. And just the constant looks of frustration and regret. Tuco may have been wild and unpredictable, but Hector is so far up his fucking ass! And now he wants to involve Nacho's sweet and simple father in all this? Nacho's brewing other plans. I thought it was going to be Gus who caused Tio to be relegated to a wheelchair, but maybe not....

I think it will be a good twist if Nacho puts Tio in the condition we see him in in BB.  I don't think it will do much for Nacho's longevity, though.  Once Tuco is out of prison, and applies his "lie detector" on all of the minions, look out Nacho.

16 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

And the Jimmy stuff was great as well. My favorite thing about watching Jimmy/Saul is seeing how he weasels his way out of tough spots. Can't let your commercials air? Can't SELL said timeslots? Adopt a new persona, advertise for FREE airtime! The dude is simply his own brand of genius. 

Yes, it shows how irrepressible Jimmy is.  He doesn't waste time licking his wounds, he's onward.  It makes me have a little hope for old Gene in Omaha.

[Bryce Lynch]

6 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

I just really cannot stand Stacy. I always think she's up to something. She was laying it on awful thick with "pop" this and "pop"that. Now she's got Mike roped into more thing - building a playground. I think these scenes are there to show just why Mike gets as deep as he gets. He has an immense sense of guilt over his son, and just wants to give his daughter-in-law and granddaughter all that he can. 

 

I know! I feel bad that made the comment last week about him not being willing to commit to a pet, like Mike did. 

I also like that he wants to keep Francesca around. He could have easily just dialed the phone himself. But he JUST hired her; he's trying to give her something to do. 

I could be wrong, but I thought Jess was JUST a cook prior to Walt coming along.  

As far as we see in BB, Jesse was a cook, ("Cap'n Cook, with his famous "Chile P" LOL)  not a dealer.  Though it is possible he started as a dealer and they found he had a talent for cooking.   I still think that if the dealer who dumped the stash was a BB character, it is probably Skinny Pete.  I am hoping we will get some excellent piano playing and horrendous spelling in upcoming episodes. :)  It would be great if Skinny is shown accompanying Rebecca on the piano.  

6 hours ago, Lingo said:

I'm still pondering Kim's hilarious reaction to Saul Goodman. I had to rewind and watch that 2 or 3 times. She seemed completely shocked, flabbergasted, blown away.  Perhaps even a little bit ... aroused?

The relationship between Jimmy and Kim is so understated, it's sometimes hard to get a read on exactly what is going on between them. I assume they're in a sexual relationship, since they are sharing the same bed (most nights -- I noticed his concern that she went home this episode) but we never even see them kiss. I do like how understated the show is with its characterization, but sometimes I could use a little more clarity.

Is the doctor Chuck called the same one we've seen before (played by Clea DuVall)?

Lydia! I never expected to see her on this show, though I guess if I'd ever thought about it, I would have realized it was totally plausible, once Gus arrived.

"Do, Saul tonight, baby...and the sex robot voice!"  

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bryce Lynch

[nodorothyparker]

Jimmy is right to not want to go anywhere near Chuck.  The last two times he went to Chuck's house he 1. was tricked into a taped confession after Howard convinced him he should still be concerned and 2. ended up in jail and nearly disbarred after being deliberately provoked into a B&E in front of witnesses.  How does he know Rebecca coming to him is not yet another setup and why should he even risk it?  Chuck has shown him over and over who he really is and what he's willing to do to hurt Jimmy.  The best they can hope for is to stay away from each other going forward.  

If Chuck was truly alone in the world, maybe there would be some very tenuous brotherly obligation to call in a wellness check or something along those lines, but Jimmy knows he has Howard.  He apparently also has Rebecca despite her sitting in that courtroom hearing about the whole sordid mess.   Sure, we know that Jimmy did do those things and that what Chuck is saying is not completely without merit, but there's no reason to think Rebecca does.  She didn't even know he was mentally ill.  I don't know how she can even utter the line about Chuck being right about Jimmy when she hasn't been there to see the day in and day out when I think we're supposed to think her last encounter with Jimmy was him playing the completely solicitous brother at the dinner where the power had "accidentally" been cut.

Kim's reaction to the first emergence of Saul was fascinating.  I'm with other people in sometimes finding her reactions hard to read but I think she was truly taken aback at just what had been unleashed when Jimmy is no longer constrained by trying to appear ethical or within the bounds of good taste.  This isn't Viktor with a K and Gisele playing around in a victimless con.  His previous ads for Davis & Main and then Gimme Jimmy were each a little more successively ambulance chasery, but this was full-on classic Saul who isn't the least bit concerned about appearing professional or restrained.

Michael McKean was doing an awful lot with very little dialogue.   You could see in his scene with Howard that although he was feeling very beaten and defeated, that his mind was already turning trying to figure out how to regroup and take yet another run at it.  Because Chuck will never be wrong and never admit defeat.  I am curious to know what he wants with the doctor who twice previously advised commitment and would think she would have been on Jimmy's witness list.

[Dev F]

51 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

The BCS timeline starts in May 2002 (back when Jimmy was trying to get the Kettlemans as clients and Howard to buy out Chuck).  Season 1 ends in July 2002. 

I am not sure if it is clear how much time has passed since then.  I am guessing we are somewhere in 2003, right now. 

It's definitely 2003 at this point, as we've just heard about Tuco's stabbing from that year. Per Hank: "We're pretty sure he knifed a Mexican national in '03."

32 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

As far as we see in BB, Jesse was a cook, ("Cap'n Cook, with his famous "Chile P" LOL)  not a dealer.  Though it is possible he started as a dealer and they found he had a talent for cooking.

If I remember correctly, Breaking Bad establishes that Jesse doesn't really know anything about distribution. I believe there's a line about how his only distributor connection was Krazy-8, and Walt killed him.

[Bryce Lynch]

Regarding Nacho

1) He seems a lot more like Fring than Hector.  He is clean cut, polite, reasonable and does not enjoy violence the way Hector does.

2) The scene where he was sewing, reminded me of Jesse's fantasy of working on his box in shop class, while he was cooking meth in chains for the Nazis.  Nacho really seemed to enjoy the sewing, and was probably distracted by his worry and regret of being in business with Hector when he sewed his finger.

3) Hector wanting to use his father's business as his new mule and front reminded me of "The Sopranos" when Junior wanted to whack someone at Artie's restaurant, and it bothered Tony so much that it caused him to take drastic action that escalated their conflict, though the distress is probably 10 times greater for Nacho.  I am pretty sure he is not going to stand for Hector corrupting his father and his business.  

4) I love how he gets people to do things with glances and tiny gestures.  Mando is great at acting with his face. 

5) I wonder if Jimmy somehow aided Mike and Nacho in what gets Hector paralyzed (presumably something involving the pill that Hector dropped) and that is what he is referring to when Walt and Jesse abduct him, he thinks they are from the cartel and he yells, "I wasn't me, it was Ignacio!  He's the one!"  Maybe he refers Huell to them to plant the pill on Hector?

[benteen]

40 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

Jimmy is right to not want to go anywhere near Chuck.  The last two times he went to Chuck's house he 1. was tricked into a taped confession after Howard convinced him he should still be concerned and 2. ended up in jail and nearly disbarred after being deliberately provoked into a B&E in front of witnesses.  How does he know Rebecca coming to him is not yet another setup and why should he even risk it?  Chuck has shown him over and over who he really is and what he's willing to do to hurt Jimmy.  The best they can hope for is to stay away from each other going forward.  

This.  Chuck is completely untrustworthy and the last place he should be going after his arrest and disbarment trial is to the home of the man he "victimized."  The optics look bad, on top of Chuck being a sneaky sack of shit.

[peeayebee]

8 hours ago, Bama said:

Sooooooo. Krazy-8 tells Nacho he was short on his earnings for the week because he has a "new kid who saw a cruiser and ran and threw his stash down a sewer" - anyone else holler at their TV, "Jesse!?!?"?

Or, could be Badger or Skinny Pete!

I must admit that Jesse jumped to mind though I figured the timing was wrong. I think you could be right about Badger or Skinny Pete even though the guy could have just been any random dealer.

 

5 hours ago, TVFan17 said:

With all of the fun Breaking Bad character appearances throughout the 3 seasons of BCS, I find myself marveling over how many of them were taken down, either directly or indirectly, by Walter White.  Even obnoxious "KEN WINS" didn't escape Walter's wrath, although he got off a lot easier than some others did.

I was thinking about this as well. It's one of the pleasures of having seen BB before this show. It really is amazing to see these characters and say, "He's dead... Him too... Dead... Dead...."

 

 

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I think people are being very unfair to Rebecca.  She wasn't "MIA".  She and Chuck were divorced and she had no idea about his mental illness until earlier that day.  The fact that she would fly in to be there for him and then go to his house and knock on the door for an hour is admirable.  My ex-wife wouldn't cross the street to spit on me. :)

Sure, she doesn't get how much Chuck has hurt Jimmy, she is right that you don't abandon a mentally ill relative because he hurt your feelings.  

It seemed to me that she only wanted Jimmy to help her get Chuck to let her in.

Yeah, I don't think Rebecca is being a terrible person. Sure, in the hearing she heard the story about the brothers and what happened. She learned about Chuck's condition. But she still cares about him. And even though she saw how Chuck had entrapped Jimmy, she probably doesn't get the full sense of fraternal betrayal that Jimmy feels. Also, she knows that Jimmy didn't really have her come to the hearing to be a support for Chuck, but to provoke a reaction from Chuck in the hearing. 

I don't think Jimmy would be any help in getting Chuck to open his door, but Rebecca is just grasping at straws. She wants to help Chuck and make sure he's ok, and she's hoping Jimmy can help somehow, as a brother would.

I completely understand Jimmy's not wanting to help or have anything to do with Chuck, but I don't think it was wrong of Rebecca to approach Jimmy and get angry when he wouldn't help.

 

55 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

Nacho appears quite "over it" as well. Some really stellar, subtle acting from Michael Mando this episode. He handled the showdown with Fring's men so confidently, but his face when he left? He was scared as shit. And just the constant looks of frustration and regret. Tuco may have been wild and unpredictable, but Hector is so far up his fucking ass! And now he wants to involve Nacho's sweet and simple father in all this? Nacho's brewing other plans. 

It's fascinating watching Nacho deal with Hector. You can see the wheels turning in his head. And I figure we all hate Hector even more for his plan to use Nacho's father. Amazing how much of a huge story line this feels like to me. I could watch an entire episode just about Nacho.

 

Quote

Howard continues to be an enigma to me. But it seems as if he hopes that the stunt at the bar hearing will prove to Chuck that he is actually fine, and Chuck will be able to leap 100% back into work. I don't think he realizes the depths of this mental illness. 

I don't get Howard either. I really don't have a grasp of his character.

[Bryce Lynch]

2 minutes ago, benteen said:

This.  Chuck is completely untrustworthy and the last place he should be going after his arrest and disbarment trial is to the home of the man he "victimized."  The optics look bad, on top of Chuck being a sneaky sack of shit.

I agree that Jimmy would be unwise to go to Chuck's house, as it could lead to him being arrested, having the PPD revoked and him being disbarred.  But, I didn't even sense that Jimmy was thinking about those things.  He simply hates Chuck now and doesn't give a crap, and I think that hardening of his heart demonstrates that the best part of him is slowly dying.  

Jimmy is also a sneaky sack of $#!t.

[peeayebee]

12 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

5) I wonder if Jimmy somehow aided Mike and Nacho in what gets Hector paralyzed (presumably something involving the pill that Hector dropped) and that is what he is referring to when Walt and Jesse abduct him, he thinks they are from the cartel and he yells, "I wasn't me, it was Ignacio!  He's the one!"  

Oooooo! That's great! Thanks for reminding me of that line.

[Primetimer]

Tara's not a crackpot. She just thinks Better Call Saul could be spending its time more wisely.

View the full article

[teddysmom]

I like Nacho, for a bad guy he's got a sense of morality, and I don't mind 60 seconds or so of Gus looking at the laundry, and then having Lydia show up in the car. And I don't think we can make BCS season too long. Maybe not long enough. jmo,ymmv

[Wouldofshouldof]

3 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I am guessing that Krazy-8's skittish dealer is Skinny Pete, who we know served jail time with Tuco and came up light, dealing for Jesse and Walt, when he was robbed by Spooge and Skank. 

The names in this universe!  And don't forget Badger.  Can you just picture the writers room, with them spitballing names and cracking themselves up?

[Bryce Lynch]

20 minutes ago, teddysmom said:

I like Nacho, for a bad guy he's got a sense of morality, and I don't mind 60 seconds or so of Gus looking at the laundry, and then having Lydia show up in the car. And I don't think we can make BCS season too long. Maybe not long enough. jmo,ymmv

[Bannon]

1 hour ago, peeayebee said:

I must admit that Jesse jumped to mind though I figured the timing was wrong. I think you could be right about Badger or Skinny Pete even though the guy could have just been any random dealer.

 

I was thinking about this as well. It's one of the pleasures of having seen BB before this show. It really is amazing to see these characters and say, "He's dead... Him too... Dead... Dead...."

 

 

Yeah, I don't think Rebecca is being a terrible person. Sure, in the hearing she heard the story about the brothers and what happened. She learned about Chuck's condition. But she still cares about him. And even though she saw how Chuck had entrapped Jimmy, she probably doesn't get the full sense of fraternal betrayal that Jimmy feels. Also, she knows that Jimmy didn't really have her come to the hearing to be a support for Chuck, but to provoke a reaction from Chuck in the hearing. 

I don't think Jimmy would be any help in getting Chuck to open his door, but Rebecca is just grasping at straws. She wants to help Chuck and make sure he's ok, and she's hoping Jimmy can help somehow, as a brother would.

I completely understand Jimmy's not wanting to help or have anything to do with Chuck, but I don't think it was wrong of Rebecca to approach Jimmy and get angry when he wouldn't help.

 

It's fascinating watching Nacho deal with Hector. You can see the wheels turning in his head. And I figure we all hate Hector even more for his plan to use Nacho's father. Amazing how much of a huge story line this feels like to me. I could watch an entire episode just about Nacho.

 

I don't get Howard either. I really don't have a grasp of his character.

I thought Rebecca was a little out of line in reaming Jimmy out, but she's emotionaly distraught, and emotionally distraught people tend to get a little out of line. 

I'm really dreading the murder of Nacho, which I assume must be in the works. Terrific actor.

To me, Howard, is an entitled 2nd generation owner of a very successful business. He isn't Chuck's equal as a lawyer, nor his father's as a manager. He's outsized ego and pretension divorced from actual accomplishment. That doesn't make him an awful person, but he has enough intelligence to be interesting to me. I enjoy watching him, and am curious as to how he tries to manage his conumdrum with Chuck. 

I know some have expressed that watching Chuck for these seasons has been something that has lessened their enjoyment, as Jimmy transforms into Saul, but my experience has been very different. I think Chuck has been fascinating to watch, and while some dramatic license has been taken, I have found the arc to be quite credible. Hugely talented people get away with figurative murder, and it is always interesting to me to see how everybody adjusts their orbit around the huge talent. Also, the grief Jimmy experiences as the relationship with his brother has undegone a slow, agonizing, death, for three seasons, is critical to what Jimmy becomes, a person who is willing to countenance the violent death of others, pursuant to making money, which is a huge change from what we saw at the start of the show, which was a onetime conman (who restricted his cons to dishonest, greedy, victims) trying to go straight, by slaving away in his brother's mailroom.

Among the best writing I've ever seen on television, in my view.

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bannon
Typo

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, teddysmom said:

I like Nacho, for a bad guy he's got a sense of morality, and I don't mind 60 seconds or so of Gus looking at the laundry, and then having Lydia show up in the car. And I don't think we can make BCS season too long. Maybe not long enough. jmo,ymmv

I also like Nacho and his interaction with Hector was probably my favorite part of this episode.  I also enjoyed seeing Gus find the site of the future super lab and especially seeing Lydia.  They may have tried to cram a few too many things into this episode and I could have done without the Stacey and Mike scene, but I am beginning to think Tara might be a crackpot. :)

BTW, was the title an homage to this classic TWD thread?

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bryce Lynch

[JudyObscure]

1 hour ago, ShadowFacts said:

  1 hour ago, ghoulina said:

And the Jimmy stuff was great as well. My favorite thing about watching Jimmy/Saul is seeing how he weasels his way out of tough spots. Can't let your commercials air? Can't SELL said timeslots? Adopt a new persona, advertise for FREE airtime! The dude is simply his own brand of genius. 

Plus he has a great knack for seeing potential in people.  His motley crew of movie makers always cracks me up.  The average person would never have given them a chance.

 

29 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I completely understand Jimmy's not wanting to help or have anything to do with Chuck, but I don't think it was wrong of Rebecca to approach Jimmy and get angry when he wouldn't help.

I don't blame her for approaching Jimmy, although it was sort of stupid of her to not see the danger it would put Jimmy in with the authorities if Chuck called the police while he was pounding on the door.  But she had no business getting angry after he said no.  It is never anyone's business to  shame someone else for how much they do or don't do for family members.  I see it all the time with people telling others that they shouldn't have put their parent, or child, in a nursing home when they have no idea at all of the circumstances of the family or the needs of the patient.

Just a nit pick, but no one sews  by pushing fabric through the presser foot with their hand the way Nacho was doing.  It's finger tips on either side of the needle, and if someone gets caught by the needle it's usually right down through the nail.  Ouch! Much more painful than what happened to Nacho....and yet none of those ladies I know turned to drug dealing! ;)

[ghoulina]

51 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

2) The scene where he was sewing, reminded me of Jesse's fantasy of working on his box in shop class, while he was cooking meth in chains for the Nazis.  Nacho really seemed to enjoy the sewing, and was probably distracted by his worry and regret of being in business with Hector when he sewed his finger.

I saw this too. It was an escape for him. He had this hint of a smile on his face. He is happier doing this simple task than captaining a drug empire - but I'm assuming financial reasons motivate him at the end of the day. 

 

40 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I agree that Jimmy would be unwise to go to Chuck's house, as it could lead to him being arrested, having the PPD revoked and him being disbarred.  But, I didn't even sense that Jimmy was thinking about those things.  He simply hates Chuck now and doesn't give a crap, and I think that hardening of his heart demonstrates that the best part of him is slowly dying.  

I don't think Jimmy hates Chuck. I don't know that he ever could. I think he has hardened his heart, though. He's been burned too many times, and he has to use an "all or nothing" approach with his brother. He knows that if he even looks in on him for 5 seconds, there's a good chance of him getting sucked back in. His refusal to be involved is about self-preservation, IMO, not hatred. 

 

6 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

Plus he has a great knack for seeing potential in people.  His motley crew of movie makers always cracks me up.  The average person would never have given them a chance.

So true. Plus, I just love the scenes of them puttering around town in Jimmy's old, yellow beater, with the boom mic hanging out the window. 

[toodles]

As much as I love this show, I agree with Tara. I don't care about the daughter in-law, and I'm only kind of interested in the meth side of the story. But as learned from BB, I need to trust the story and the story tellers.

[JudyObscure]

Well that makes four or five of us who don't like Stacy, including me, and I really can't say why.  I wonder if the writers expect us to like her because she's a widow, or are we intended to think she's a bit of a user?  Is it the actress?

[Bannon]

5 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

Well that makes four or five of us who don't like Stacy, including me, and I really can't say why.  I wonder if the writers expect us to like her because she's a widow, or are we intended to think she's a bit of a user?  Is it the actress?

Why do you think the writers intend to have viewers like her? To me,  It seems pretty clear that the intent, especially after she talked her way into a better house, is to portray as a very manipulative person.

14 minutes ago, toodles said:

As much as I love this show, I agree with Tara. I don't care about the daughter in-law, and I'm only kind of interested in the meth side of the story. But as learned from BB, I need to trust the story and the story tellers.

The manipulation from the DIL is critical to Mike's motivation. Mike's motivation is interesting to me,so I enjoy the scenes between Mike and Stacy.

[Bryce Lynch]

5 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

Well that makes four or five of us who don't like Stacy, including me, and I really can't say why.  I wonder if the writers expect us to like her because she's a widow, or are we intended to think she's a bit of a user?  Is it the actress?

I don't dislike Stacey.  I just felt that scene with her and Mike was sort of out place and felt like it was tacked on to the episode.  It could be they didn't want to have 2 straight episodes with no Mike, so they added that scene.  

Stacey is hard to figure out and I don't know if that is intentional on the part of the showrunners or the result of the writing and acting not communicating what she is about.  In the past she has seemed somewhat manipulative, though it could also just be seen as her being needy and Mike sort of manipulating himself, due to his guilt.

In this episode, I think (but am not sure) that she was genuinely trying to help Mike.  I think she believes the grief counseling would be good for him, as would getting him involved in the community with the playground project.   

Remember, she doesn't know half of what we know about Mike.  She probably assumes he does nothing but work at the parking lot, go home, watch old movies, listen to his old radio, drink Pabst Blue Ribbon, and eat pistachios and pimento cheese sandwiches and occasionally visit Kaylee.  She has no idea that he spends his spare time doing security for amateur drug dealers, and robbing, framing and attempting to kill major drug dealers, etc.  

[WendyM]

1 hour ago, PreviouslyTV said:

Tara's not a crackpot. She just thinks Better Call Saul could be spending its time more wisely.

View the full article

I would totally watch Meth Lab Hunters.

[Bryce Lynch]

1 minute ago, WendyM said:

I would totally watch Meth Lab Hunters.

I think the BB episode "Hazard Pay" was the pilot, and it was great. :)

[knaankos]

1 hour ago, PreviouslyTV said:

Tara's not a crackpot. She just thinks Better Call Saul could be spending its time more wisely.

View the full article

I have to agree with this. The suspense level on this show is very very low at the moment. It got less suspenseful when the Mike/Gus storyline became more fleshed out. We know the eventual fates of every person on that side of the story except for Nacho. And we know where they stand when Breaking Bad Begins and ends, there are really no questions to be answered. So while it is is cool to see all those character again, what is their to accomplish by showing them? And I also do not see the purpose of telegraphing that Nacho will be the one to eventually put Hector into a wheelchair. I feel that it would have been a lot more effective of a shock to just have him do that when it actually happens without any foreshadowing. 

The two biggest questions of this series are still what happens to Chuck and Kim and that is really what the show ought to be focused on.

[smorbie]

  27 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

Well that makes four or five of us who don't like Stacy, including me, and I really can't say why.  I wonder if the writers expect us to like her because she's a widow, or are we intended to think she's a bit of a user?  Is it the actress?

I don't dislike Stacey.  I just felt that scene with her and Mike was sort of out place and felt like it was tacked on to the episode.  It could be they didn't want to have 2 straight episodes with no Mike, so they added that scene.  

Stacey is hard to figure out and I don't know if that is intentional on the part of the showrunners or the result of the writing and acting not communicating what she is about.  In the past she has seemed somewhat manipulative, though it could also just be seen as her being needy and Mike sort of manipulating himself, due to his guilt.

In this episode, I think (but am not sure) that she was genuinely trying to help Mike.  I think she believes the grief counseling would be good for him, as would getting him involved in the community with the playground project.   

Remember, she doesn't know half of what we know about Mike.  She probably assumes he does nothing but work at the parking lot, go home, watch old movies, listen to his old radio, drink Pabst Blue Ribbon, and eat pistachios and pimento cheese sandwiches and occasionally visit Kaylee.  She has no idea that he spends his spare time doing security for amateur drug dealers, and robbing, framing and attempting to kill major drug dealers, etc.  

We do know she pretended that her house was being shot up at night so Mike would buy her a grand new one.

[Bannon]

1 hour ago, Bryce Lynch said:

1 hour ago, teddysmom said:

I like Nacho, for a bad guy he's got a sense of morality, and I don't mind 60 seconds or so of Gus looking at the laundry, and then having Lydia show up in the car. And I don't think we can make BCS season too long. Maybe not long enough. jmo,ymmv

I agree it wasn't a long scene, and given the development of Gus' business is critical to Mike's story, and likely Jimmy's/Saul's greater involvement with Mike, I think it was a pretty necessary scene. It is a lot less effective to have Gus all of a sudden talking about his ability to manufacture huge quantities of meth within the United States, producing irresolvable conflict with the cartel. It is much better writing to show how that happens, even if BB viewers are aware of it.

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bannon
typo

[Bryce Lynch]

3 minutes ago, smorbie said:

We do know she pretended that her house was being shot up at night so Mike would buy her a grand new one.

I don't think it was clear whether she pretended or imagined that the house was shot up.  I tend to believe that, in her sleep, she heard the thumping of the newspapers hitting the driveways and interpreted them to be "gun shots".   Again, I think this is left unclear, which makes Stacey hard to figure out.  

[Auntie Anxiety]

Quote

Lawyer question:  Could Jimmy still work in the law but not in the capacity of a lawyer.  For example, could he be doing paralegal work for Kim for the next year?

I'm not a lawyer but I happen to know the answer to this question, at least in regard to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. My ex-husband was suspended from the practice of law (due to co-mingling client funds) and started to hang out at his sister's law office until she was notified that he was not allowed to be involved with any legal practice in any capacity whatsoever (even as a messanger) and if he was, it would put THAT lawyer's license to practice in jeopardy.

[Bryce Lynch]

2 minutes ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

I'm not a lawyer but I happen to know the answer to this question, at least in regard to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. My ex-husband was suspended from the practice of law (due to co-mingling client funds) and started to hang out at his sister's law office until she was notified that he was not allowed to be involved with any legal practice in any capacity whatsoever (even as a messanger) and if he was, it would put THAT lawyer's license to practice in jeopardy.

Interesting.  I wonder if Jimmy running his production company out of the WM office or even paying his share of the rent and Francesca's salary would jeopardize Kim's license?

[Bannon]

2 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I don't think it was clear whether she pretended or imagined that the house was shot up.  I tend to believe that, in her sleep, she heard the thumping of the newspapers hitting the driveways and interpreted them to be "gun shots".   Again, I think this is left unclear, which makes Stacey hard to figure out.  

I'm skeptical that anybody interprets newspapers thumping for gunshots, even in their sleep, absent some willful self-deception, but maybe I'm too cynical.

17 minutes ago, knaankos said:

I have to agree with this. The suspense level on this show is very very low at the moment. It got less suspenseful when the Mike/Gus storyline became more fleshed out. We know the eventual fates of every person on that side of the story except for Nacho. And we know where they stand when Breaking Bad Begins and ends, there are really no questions to be answered. So while it is is cool to see all those character again, what is their to accomplish by showing them? And I also do not see the purpose of telegraphing that Nacho will be the one to eventually put Hector into a wheelchair. I feel that it would have been a lot more effective of a shock to just have him do that when it actually happens without any foreshadowing. 

The two biggest questions of this series are still what happens to Chuck and Kim and that is really what the show ought to be focused on.

I think the telegraphing of Nacho and the pill may be in furtherance of a greater alliance between Nacho, Mike, and Gus. I'm ok with that.

[Bryce Lynch]

1 minute ago, Bannon said:

I'm skeptical that anybody interprets newspapers thumping for gunshots, even in their sleep, absent some willful self-deception, but maybe I'm too cynical.

I think the telegraphing of Nacho and the pill may be in furtherance of a greater alliance between Nacho, Mike, and Gus. I'm ok with that.

I am also skeptical as to whether Stacey really thought she heard gun shots or if she was making it up to play Mike, but I am unsure.  I think it was intentionally left a mystery by the writers.  

The main reasons I slightly lean towards thinking she imagined the shots are 1) She seems to be suffering from PTSD or something similar to it. This would make her susceptible to imagining such things.  2) I don't think she had any reason to assume Mike would be able to buy her and Kaylee a nice house on his parking lot attendant salary.  

I would also have no problem with a Gus/Mike/Nacho alliance and would very much welcome it.  

[Ohwell]

5 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I think people are being very unfair to Rebecca.  She wasn't "MIA".  She and Chuck were divorced and she had no idea about his mental illness until earlier that day.  The fact that she would fly in to be there for him and then go to his house and knock on the door for an hour is admirable.  My ex-wife wouldn't cross the street to spit on me. :)

Sure, she doesn't get how much Chuck has hurt Jimmy, she is right that you don't abandon a mentally ill relative because he hurt your feelings.  

It seemed to me that she only wanted Jimmy to help her get Chuck to let her in.

So she flew in for a couple of days, went to Chuck's house and couldn't get in.  Big whoop.  I wouldn't characterize that as giving much of a shit about Chuck.  Sure, she didn't know about Chuck's mental illness before, but she knows about it now.  And when Jimmy wouldn't help her, she turned on him like a viper, telling him that Chuck was right about him.  That's when I said she could go fuck herself.    

[axlmadonna]

4 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I don't blame Rebecca for not being Chuck's care-giver, but she just finished spending the day hearing about Jimmy's devoted care over the past year, and how it was repaid by Chuck setting him up to be disbarred.  Whether he is angry or not, Jimmy would be a fool to walk back into what could be another trap.  Rebecca's holier than thou attitude to Jimmy  was obnoxious in that scene.  Cell-phone abusing snob.

I can see why Chuck and Rebecca got together in the first place. She may look sweeter, but that doesn't mean she isn't just as supercilious as he is.

 

3 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Excellent performance from McKean tonight as well. All the arrogance was gone out of Chuck. When he sat there in the dark with Howard, he just looked like a sad, little boy to me.

I didn't know what to expect in the aftermath of the hearing, but Chuck brooding in the dark was a good choice. He was clearly rattled by the fact that he felt no EM waves from the battery in his pocket. I think he has genuinely believed up until now that his illness was a physical one and not just mental (even though it did seem to come and go as was convenient for him), but his brilliant, practical mind could not ignore that he had had no idea there was a fully charged battery in his pocket for an hour and a half. It's a shame that Jimmy refused to let Dr. Cruz reveal her similar experiment in the hospital, as it might have forced Chuck to face the truth about his illness long before and saved them all a heap of trouble. Enabling is truly no kindness.

 

2 hours ago, nodorothyparker said:

Kim's reaction to the first emergence of Saul was fascinating.  I'm with other people in sometimes finding her reactions hard to read but I think she was truly taken aback at just what had been unleashed when Jimmy is no longer constrained by trying to appear ethical or within the bounds of good taste.  This isn't Viktor with a K and Gisele playing around in a victimless con.  His previous ads for Davis & Main and then Gimme Jimmy were each a little more successively ambulance chasery, but this was full-on classic Saul who isn't the least bit concerned about appearing professional or restrained.

I got that impression too, that Kim really hated the Saul character. I agree with those who have noted her misgivings, and speculated that this may be the beginning of the end of their deep connection. He's changing, and she isn't. That's usually a death blow to any romantic (or even friendly) relationship.

I also wanted to point out that Viktor and Gisele did not play around in a "victimless" con. Just because a person is irritating and / or a smug jerk does not give anyone else the right to pretend to be a potential client so that they can screw said person out of what was probably a thousand dollars or so. That guy had not done anything to harm Jimmy and Kim personally, nor did they have any knowledge that he had done so to anyone else. He was simply a businessman who was being rude by talking loudly on his phone in public. What they did wasn't illegal, but it was certainly immoral and unethical, and there was a victim.

 

1 hour ago, peeayebee said:

I must admit that Jesse jumped to mind though I figured the timing was wrong. I think you could be right about Badger or Skinny Pete even though the guy could have just been any random dealer.

Yeah, I don't think Rebecca is being a terrible person. Sure, in the hearing she heard the story about the brothers and what happened. She learned about Chuck's condition. But she still cares about him. And even though she saw how Chuck had entrapped Jimmy, she probably doesn't get the full sense of fraternal betrayal that Jimmy feels. Also, she knows that Jimmy didn't really have her come to the hearing to be a support for Chuck, but to provoke a reaction from Chuck in the hearing. 

I don't get Howard either. I really don't have a grasp of his character.

I was thinking maybe Combo... but didn't Jesse recruit Badger, Combo, and Skinny Pete? I seem to recall Jesse having to talk them into doing it, but why would he have to do that if any or all of them already had experience in that area?

Rebecca must be having a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions about what she just witnessed and learned, and she still doesn't know the half of it. I understand her asking Jimmy to help, and maybe not realizing in the moment why he would refuse to do so. We all saw Jimmy's heart harden in that moment, for the first time not backing down from it. No one was wrong in that scenario, in my opinion, though telling Jimmy that his brother "was right about [him]" was pretty harsh. The thing is, I don't believe that Jimmy brought her in only to provoke a reaction from Chuck, Yes, it was crucial to his strategy, and it worked, but I found it interesting that Jimmy convinced her to come by saying that Chuck would "need [her] afterward". That, combined with the fact that he and Kim clearly hated having to break Chuck that way in order to save Jimmy, seems to indicate that he was still looking out for Chuck at least to some extent, even if the bond between them is broken.

I see Howard as a mediocre attorney who inherited a very successful business from his (probably brilliant) attorney father. Said father must have been similar to Chuck on an intellectual level, in order for them to have agreed to go into business together and to build that practice to where it is now. Since we have never met the elder Hamlin, it's possible that he has died... in which case, Howard may have filled that void with Chuck. I think Howard has a great deal of respect for Chuck as a lawyer, and does think that this illness is temporary. I also believe that Howard does not have hard feelings toward Jimmy, and possibly even has a different kind of respect for him (Charlie Hustle, and the fact that Howard might have given Jimmy a chance at the firm, were it not for Chuck's veto). He may see a little of himself in Jimmy, a guy who has always been in the shadow of his brother (in Howard's case, father), and worked hard to prove himself. But his loyalty has to be to Chuck, since Chuck is a named, founding partner. There are many layers there, that I would love to see explored.

 

1 hour ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I also like Nacho and his interaction with Hector was probably my favorite part of this episode.  I also enjoyed seeing Gus find the site of the future super lab and especially seeing Lydia.  They may have tried to cram a few too many things into this episode and I could have done without the Stacey and Mike scene, but I am beginning to think Tara might be a crackpot. :)

Co-signed on Tara's crackpotedness. The Stacy and Mike scene did seem uneccesary and boring, but that is the only complaint I've had all season. I would give anything for 15 or 20 episode seasons instead of 10.  I can't believe we're already more than halfway through this one, and it will be another YEAR before we get any more.

[TVFan17]

2 hours ago, PreviouslyTV said:

Tara's not a crackpot. She just thinks Better Call Saul could be spending its time more wisely.

View the full article

I disagree with the majority of this article/review.  Lydia was in the episode for 10 seconds, and I enjoyed seeing Gus inspect the site of the eventual super lab.   I think that everything Gus Fring does is fascinating to watch, whether he is at the lab, at his restaurant, or having a meeting out in a vast desert somewhere.  I think the Gus-Lydia dynamic (which we never saw on Breaking Bad) has the potential to be very interesting.

I was equally riveted by the Nacho portion of the episode.  As I initially mentioned -- after viewing only the first intense scene of the episode -- his act of violence made me hate him (and feel bad for Krazy 8).  By the end of the episode, however, I was rooting for Nacho to get out of this whole situation alive, while he still can, and take his father somewhere far, far away.  (Maybe Jimmy/Saul can find a guy to help them "disappear"?)   Also, the scene with Nacho, Tyrus and Victor was full of tension, and for a moment I wasn't sure if Gus was going to order them to harm Nacho in some way, so I was worried for Nacho.

Despite knowing how so many of these characters ultimately end up several years down the road, I am still completely invested in their BCS storylines.  That's due to the good writing -- which cleverly creates suspense and makes me wonder if Mike,, or Krazy 8, Hector, Gus, or whomever, will survive BCS even though I know what happens to all of them in BB.   The fact that they can do that -- make me interested and invested in "what's going to happen" to X, Y or Z character when I know their fate on Breaking Bad -- is the mark of a stellar cast, crew and writing team.

And there are still some mysteries with other characters, as the article pointed out.   Not everything is spelled out for us, and there are little twists along the way.  There are lots of "how is this dot going to connect to that dot, which will ultimately connect to that dot down the road" sorts of scenarios, and I love it!

But, honestly, a little of the Chuck-sitting-in-the-dark scenes go a loooooonnnnng way for me.  I can't even count how many scenes there have been since the show began, with Chuck in darkness, or with other Chuck eccentricities on display.  I am tired of it.  I am tired of the ongoing Chuck-Jimmy struggle.  I want to move it along.  I want it to go somewhere, with each man living his life independent of the other one and breaking free of this conflict.   I want to see Chuck having a life away from Jimmy, and vice versa.   I want to know more about Howard's life away from the office (I never thought I'd say those words).  I want to know more about what Kim does outside of work and spend time with Jimmy/Saul.  But there is so much of the Chuck-Jimmy conflict consuming the show that I find it drags on.

So, if loving the Breaking Bad characters on Better Call Saul is wrong... I don't want to be right.   Bring on Emilio, Skinny Pete, Badger, Gale, Bogdan and whoever else makes sense on the show! 

Edited May 16, 2017 by TVFan17